Materials / Compare
Plastic Nylon vs. Rubber
Compare Plastic Nylon vs. Rubber strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
| Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser | Open in LessCAD | Open in LessCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | ||
| Yield strength | 63.1MPasourcetypical | not given (tensile used) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 63.1MPasourcetypical, peak stress (= stress at yield) | 23MPasourcetypical |
| Flexural strength | 82.9MPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Elongation at break | not sourced | 830%sourcetypical |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 2.33GPasourcetypical | not sourced |
| Density | 1,140kg/m³sourcetypical | 960kg/m³sourcetypical (specific gravity) |
| Strength to weight | 55.4kN·m/kg2.31x higher | 24kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 2.04MN·m/kg | not sourced |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.4sourcebase material: unfilled polyamide (PA), conditioned, maker design-guide family value (Covestro Table 3-1) | 0.5sourcegovernment (NBS J. Res. 68A, 1964): computed by NBS for peroxide-cured gum NR vulcanizate, 25 °C, infinitesimal deformation0.49 in the solver: the linear element locks as the ratio nears 0.5 (nearly incompressible). |
| Shear modulus | 0.833GPa | not sourced |
| Bulk modulus | 3.89GPa | not sourced |
| Speed of sound | 1,430m/s | not sourced |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.33W/m·Ksourcebase material: unreinforced BASF Ultramid PA66 (A3K) and PA6 (B3S), 23 C (same value for both) | 0.151W/m·Ksourcegovernment selected value (US Army Natick Laboratories TR 66-49-PR, 1966), soft vulcanized natural rubber, 25 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 98–102µm/m·Ksourcebase material: unreinforced BASF Ultramid PA66 (A3K, 98) and PA6 (B3S, 102), 23-55 C | not sourced |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 500µm growth | not sourced |
| Specific heat | 1,700J/kg·Ksourcebase material: unreinforced BASF Ultramid PA66 (A3K) and PA6 (B3S), 23 C (same value for both) | 1,881J/kg·Ksourcegovernment (NBS J. Res. 68A, Table 7; values observed for unvulcanized NR by Bekkedahl and Matheson), 25 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 0.17mm²/s2.04x faster | 0.0836mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 53.6W/m | not sourced |
| Melting point | 188°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Glass transition | 55.1°Csourcetypical | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 89.2°CsourceHDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) | 70°Csourcecontinuous use operating range |
| Values for | Ultimaker Nylon, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat), conditioned >=24 h at room temperature; Ultimaker S5 Pro, engineering intent profile, 0.15 mm layer height, AA 0.4 print core, 100% infill, Cura 4.9, printed one-at-a-time, conditioned >=24 h at room temperature. TDS v2.00, April 20, 2022. | Weir Minerals Linatex Premium rubber (95 % natural rubber), typical physical properties, spec sheet WMD0118/202305 |
Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Plastic Nylon is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions
Is Plastic Nylon stronger than Rubber?
Plastic Nylon is stronger: its yield strength is 63.1 MPa against tensile strength 23 MPa for Rubber (2.74x).
Which is lighter, Plastic Nylon or Rubber?
Rubber is lighter: 960 kg/m³ against 1,140 kg/m³ for Plastic Nylon.
Which is lighter for the same job, Plastic Nylon or Rubber?
For the same stiffness or strength: Plastic Nylon is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Plastic Nylon | Rubber |
|---|---|---|
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 2.31x heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 1.65x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 39% heavier |
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).
Which conducts heat better, Plastic Nylon or Rubber?
Plastic Nylon conducts heat better: 0.33 W/m·K against 0.151 W/m·K for Rubber.